Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1887-03-31
A NEW pHAsH IN AFFAIRS.

~ Aus Iva Anouy yS"Ao WV" ''PF
to the observing and thinking men Of
the Inland Empire that the people OF
the country, east ct the Cascade noun
t4ins, have been handicapped by the
men, who have had the control Of the
transportation Of our productions to
market, that the carriers were constantly
receiving far more than their share Of the
receipts from the product Of the labor Of
our people, even to that extent that
farmers, who produced, were oftentimcs
impoverished and discouraged from till
ing the soil and many abandoned the
business and resorted to other occupation.
and some went 60 far as to abandon the
country altogether and 90 elsewhere, and
those who have remained have done sc
in the hope Of war in Europe that would
advance the price Of their products t.
that extent that they could pay the
extortions in freight upon their products
and yet save balance for their living
and their families and perhaps be ablt
to further develope their land and build
themselves homes suited to their taste.
and conditions of comfort such as they
were accustomed to before they emf
grated to new country in the far West
Now during all this time the high
freights charged were making million.
for the freighting men, and advancing
their capital stock to an extravagan'
price and building themselves a name
aud character in the east that was being
greatly coveted by monied companies
who have been for years content with a
moderate interest upon their invest
ments. The people Of the west have
long been aware of tho exactions made
upon them to enrich the corporation that
supplied them with their goods from
abroad as we'll as the exaction from the
people as freights on the surplus pro.
ducts which they had to ship to market
The people have demonstrated often and
earnest. They could not see the business
in a transportation company making con
stantly from $25O,00O to 100000 pc,
month on first investment of $5,OOO,-
600 or $4,000, 900, out Of the producers
of the Inland Empire, while the produc.
ers themselves by self denial and hard
labor could not make more than a mere
living and keep out of debt. The trans
portation men, pay all their expenses
during the year, and make fifty per cent.
upon their capital invested. The people
have always been willing to give those
who have capital to invest fair profit
for their investment, and they expect it
to be greater proportionate profit, for
their enterprise in taking risks in a new
and far off country, than if the invest
ment were made in the old states Of the
east. But the people can't long endure
the privations produced by extortion to
enable others to grow rapidly rich, while
they themselves are forced to exc out q
long life, between hope and fear of having
sufficient to make old age comfortable.
For long time the Oregonian has been
content to witness the prosperity Of the
0. R. & N. Co., knowing that this same
growth and prosperity was producing a
terrible strain upon the people Of the
INLAND Empire, to meet the demands of
the 0. r. d N. Co., and meantime it has
been silent on the subject of exorbitant
freight charges. But in one Of last
weeks daiIys, from which we quote on
our outside in this issue, it says: "Hold-
ing thus far the key to Western terminal
business, the o. r. l. n, has acted as
ilhberally with connecting railway lines
as it has with producers within its terri
tory. Out of sixty.6ve cents per 100
pounds, charged on freight from the east,
it takes twenty.eight cents for its own
comparatively short mileage" And be-
cause it now attempts to extort from other
the same that it has long ex-
torted from the producers of the Inland
Empire, the Oregonian deems it extor-
ton, and admits that it always has
been extortion upon the producer, al.
though it has hitherto been silent in the
matter, while for years the interior press,
with one or two exceptions, has often
given expression to the complaints Of the
people in regard to these extortiops.
We are glad that the Oregonian has
found it necessary or expedient to take
sides with the people for q reduction of
freight rates, to enable the people Of this
Eastern Empire to live and thrive with
he natural advantages of the country in
IS soil and climate. With its accumulated
influence and power in the North West,
t can. do much for the people in bringing
bout cheaper and better system of
freight for the people. If not by Undue
mn chaanor oarr;aua h.. Aho n II 4 NJ